DOES SPORTING GOODS RETAIL, CIRCA 2010, HAVE ONE BEHEMOTH?

          A survey by the World Federation of Sporting Goods
     Int'l will be released today in Atlanta before the Super
     Show which examines the "climate for sporting goods sales,"
     according to Mickey Gramig of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION.  The
     survey shows nearly 80% of the 95 manufacturers responding
     believe there will be a worldwide sporting goods chain by
     2010.  Jon Amsler, who worked on the study for Atlanta-based
     Kurt Salmon Assoc., stated "the global nature of sports
     could make it easier to create a worldwide sporting goods
     power than ... a world power in discount or department
     stores."  Some believe the consolidation is happening "so
     quickly that mom-and-pop" sporting goods store and regional
     chains "will be out of the picture sooner rather than
     later."  Nike was frequently cited as the "Goliath that
     could crunch the competition, even thought the company only
     recently ventured into retail" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/13).